Friends & Countrymen:

GettinOnIt and I spent quite a bit of time today trying to narrow down the possible dates that our cars will be showing up in Port Newark. Based on info provided by other members, we know that cars will be showing up in Jacksonville on the 19th, and Norfolk on the 21st. Given that HUAL is one of the only carriers who services the East Coast, it stands to reason that the first shipment of 350Zs can only be coming in on one of a few boats. (The Los Angeles boats are out of the equation, since they only serve the left coast and parts of Canada.)

My request is this: If anyone manages to confirm the delivery of cars at either Jacksonville or Norfolk, can you try to also snag the name of the boat? (A Titanic request, I know, but it would be of considerable value to have.)

Also, a general question to which there hasn't been a clear answer (that I've seen). What is the exact moment when VINs are recorded into Nissan's dealer computer reports? Is it when the cars at born in Oppama, is it when the get ON the boat, or is it when they get OFF the boat?

This tidbit of info can be of considerable use when trying to determine what my odds are of seeing my car soon. My explanation is as follows:
Thus far, my dealer only has VINs for track models.
Given that cars landed in Los Angeles first before anywhere else (Hawaii and Midway Island notwithstanding), plus the fact that Nissan probably produced them in "batches" of sorts, it may stand to reason that the track cars were some of the first ones produced (hence VIN #00001 being a track), and all landed in Los Angeles.
(The important thing was that Nissan shipped them and got them out of the factory).
The boats that deliver cars to Los Angeles are NOT the same boats that deliver cars to Jacksonville, and points north (that includes Savannah, Norfolk, Baltimore, and NYC).
These track models may be headed East via train, etc.

My VIN is not in the system yet simply because my car has not landed yet at scenic Newark. (At least that's the theory we're tossing around right now. I have no evidence to base this on other than internet research.)

I realize this is a stretch of sorts. I can see people posting their notes about "I ordered a Base Brickyard and got my VIN three weeks ago, and I live in Bangor, Maine."

 

Zisme stated that the VIN numbers were in the system once the ship left the port from Japan maybe 1 or 2 days into trip

 

I assume you're talking about the 19th and 21st of AUGUST, right? I live next to Norfolk, and my dealer said last week to expect it in mid-Sept., but he didn't have a VIN yet. He also said it was in their first batch of cars, so I wonder it may show up next week??? Hmmmm....

BTW, do we know when this ship left Japan? I'm curious how long it takes to go from Japan to the east coast.

 

Yep, August. HUAL's web site is quite good at showing the shipping schedule. This is a cut/paste showing the schedule of boats leaving Japan and headed for the East Coast. (Text kerning will probably screw up the paste, but just read closely. Looks like the Auto Banner is a good candidate to be our boat, folks...)

Vessel Voyage Port Arrive Depart Deliver by
HUAL Trooper 58 Inchon 8/20/2002 8/21/2002
Auto Banner 54 Savannah 8/20/2002 8/20/2002 8/14/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Panama Canal 8/21/2002 8/22/2002
Auto Banner 54 Norfolk 8/21/2002 8/22/2002 8/16/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Pyongtaek 8/22/2002 8/23/2002
HUAL Asia 21 San Juan 8/22/2002 8/22/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Masan 8/22/2002 8/23/2002
Auto Banner 54 New York 8/23/2002 8/23/2002 8/19/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Kingston 8/24/2002 8/24/2002
HUAL Asia 21 Jacksonville 8/25/2002 8/25/2002 8/20/2002
HUAL Asia 21 Savannah 8/26/2002 8/26/2002 8/20/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 San Juan 8/26/2002 8/26/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Nagoya 8/27/2002 8/27/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Kobe 8/28/2002 8/28/2002
HUAL Asia 21 Norfolk 8/28/2002 8/28/2002 8/22/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Osaka 8/28/2002 8/28/2002
HUAL Asia 21 New York 8/29/2002 8/29/2002 8/23/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Kanda 8/29/2002 8/29/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Nagoya 8/29/2002 8/29/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Yokohama 8/30/2002 8/30/2002
HUAL Asia 21 Baltimore 8/30/2002 8/30/2002 8/26/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Yokosuka 8/31/2002 8/31/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Houston 8/31/2002 8/31/2002 8/27/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 Panama Canal 8/31/2002 9/1/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Yokohama 8/31/2002 9/1/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Port Everglades 9/2/2002 9/3/2002 8/28/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Jacksonville 9/4/2002 9/4/2002 8/29/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 Jacksonville 9/5/2002 9/5/2002 8/30/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 Baltimore 9/6/2002 9/6/2002 9/2/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 Savannah 9/6/2002 9/6/2002 9/2/2002
HUAL Tracer 179 New York 9/7/2002 9/7/2002 9/3/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 Norfolk 9/8/2002 9/8/2002 9/3/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 New York 9/9/2002 9/10/2002 9/4/2002
Ocean Spirit 63 Baltimore 9/11/2002 9/11/2002 9/5/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Manzanillo 9/14/2002 9/14/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Puerto Caldera 9/17/2002 9/18/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Panama Canal 9/18/2002 9/19/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Panama Canal 9/19/2002 9/20/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Kingston 9/21/2002 9/21/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Rio Haina 9/22/2002 9/22/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 San Juan 9/23/2002 9/23/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Houston 9/24/2002 9/25/2002 9/19/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Jacksonville 9/25/2002 9/25/2002 9/19/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Savannah 9/25/2002 9/26/2002 9/20/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Port Everglades 9/28/2002 9/28/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Norfolk 9/28/2002 9/28/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 New York 9/29/2002 9/29/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Jacksonville 9/29/2002 9/29/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 Baltimore 9/30/2002 9/30/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trooper 58 Baltimore 9/30/2002 9/30/2002 9/24/2002
HUAL Trapper 175 New York 10/1/2002 10/1/2002 9/25/2002

 

Using the Auto Banner as an example, it left Yokohama on 7/15 (full of Zs, I hope) and will reach the USA as follows:

Jacksonville 8/19/2002
Savannah 8/20/2002
Norfolk 8/21/2002
New York 8/23/2002

There are a couple of stops along the way through the Panama Canal (RxO, you listening???)

Now, before anyone goes ape thinking that their car is showing up, please understand that this is all conjecture at this point. I'm trying to establish the boat schedule and come up with a plausible time when the boat will be in Newark so I can snap some pictures of the cars coming off.

 

Do you have any idea why is the "Deliver By" date later than the "Arrival Date"?

Thanks for the hard work!

 

Todd:

Yeah, that one has me wondering as well. I can only guess that it means that HUAL (as the carrier) requires clients to have their goods at the dock by the "Deliver By" date so they can process it for Customs prior to HUAL actually picking it up at the port of call on the listed arrival date.

Want something picked up on a big boat by HUAL on 8/23? Have it at the dock by 8/19, or it'll never make it through the red tape on time.

Again, this is only my hypothesis. Perhaps we have a stevedore among the ranks who can clarify???

 

The Auto Banner is listed as an arriving vessel today 8/19/2002 in Jacksonville per www.jaxport.com

 

Yeah, this would all be a LOT simpler if Port Newark could get their act together and put their manifests on the web. As it is, they have a dopey web page with some very out-of-date photos of the NYC skyline. (read between the lines -- these photos should have been changed a long time ago.)

Well, nonetheless, I still enjoy the thrill of the chase. I'm optimistic that the Auto Banner is chugging it's way towards NJ and will arrive this Friday. Now, if only I could find my 800mm camera lens...

 

My dealer gave me my VIN last week and told me that the current ETA is still Sept. 30. I hope he's wrong, and they're being purposely pessimistic on the delivery dates...

 

Tim-
I got my VIN 6 weeks before my ETA. I'm hoping they're being pessimistic as well. From every delivery we've seen so far (3), they've come ahead of the ETA. This is good news. They're probably doing their PDI's a lot quicker just to get the cars out. It seems that the cars are coming into port and being given out the week after. Nissan assumes that the process takes 2 weeks, but I'm hoping they're quickening the process for our Z's. I'll let you know when I get my Z. I have a feeling it's coming the last couple days of August or the first couple days in September. Let's cross our fingers.

 

For those interested, the map of Port Newark is here.

GettinOnIt and I are planning on posing as news reporters to sneak in the gate...

 

OK folks, here's our puppy. If anyone happens to see this boat sneak into the port at Jacksonville, Savannah, or Norfolk, please drop a dime.

 

I think as for Jacksonville, we have missed the boat, excuse the pun, but it has probably left already so lets look for it further north at next destination.

 

The reason they're saying that is because they don't know the exact delivery date. The dealers have simply been told that certain cars are guaranteed by the end of Sept, that's why they say the 30th.

 

Oh my god, the Boat is painted Lemans SUNSET!

 

The name of the boat carrying Zs to Newport News is the Pearl Ace. I expect a ~5am dock time on the 21st.

Good hunting.

MBEGuy

 

Does anyone know where the ships service? I live in Arkansas. Will my car be on the boats on their way to LA or the east coast? What is the line on where the US is split? If anyone knows, that might help us to determine some of the ETA's.